Method and apparatus for feeding glass



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Nov.

uc'ufoz [far] 5. Peler Patented Nov. 20, `19?..8.A

UNITED 'STATES Pa 1,692,464 TENT carica.-

KARL E. REILER, OF HARTFORD,v CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HARTFORILEMPIRE COMPANY, OF Il-IARJJB'ORII), CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD .AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING GLASS.

Application mee march 22, 1923. `serial No. 626,986.

In the type of glass feeder forming the subject-matter of this application the control of issue of glass from the glass-issuing outlet is due to pneumatic pressure applied to the glass in or below the outlet, to retard, stop, or reverse the movement of the glass. A feeder of this general type is shown and described in my prior application led March 25, 1922, Serial No. 546,552

I now propose as additional means of controlling the issuance of glass, to use a throttling element, the construction being such that the issuance of glass may be retarded by such throttling element while the .pushing back of the glass in the orifice is not equally retarded.. This permits the easy Apushing back of the glass in the orice, which orifice may be so constructed that it constitutes a reconditioningelement for the glass which may have been chilled by previous extrusion an severing.

For the purposes above stated my invention consists in the arrangement, construetion, and combination of the several parts of which 'it is composed, as will be hereinafter more full described and claimed.

It also consists in the method hereinafter described for delivering mold charges 'of glass.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings in wliichcorresponding partslare designated by corresponding marks of reference.

Figure 1 is an end elevation partly in section of one form of a glass feeder containing my invention and adapted to carry vout the, method herein. disclosed.

Figure 2 is a planl .view thereof.

Figure 3 is a view through the foreheart in Figure 1, but at right angles to the line of section of-Fi'gure 1, showing a throttling element different in form from that shown in Figure 1, and X showing my preferred construction of orifice. Y

Figures tand 5 are detailed fragmental views of throttling elements embodying the principle of this invention, but different from the forms shown in the preceding figures.

The molten glass 10 to be 'fedv and separated into mold charges. is contained in a suitable container, such for example, as the forehearth l1 projectino from a glass furnace of the usual type. .(ot shown).

The'bottom of the fore-hearth is provided with an out1et12, through whichv the glass is discharged. The outliow of glass to and through the oriice-is controlled by a throttling element, specifically shown in the form of a tube 13 projecting downwardly through the glass 10 above and adjacent to the upper end of the outlet 12, the vertical elevation vof the lower end of the tube being adjustable by any suitable means to regulate the rate of outfiowof the glass to conform to the weight Vof thecharges to be fed.

The discharge of glass from the outlet is further and periodically controlled by an implement shownherein 1n the form of a pressure cup or bowl 14. carried on the end of an arm 15 fixed on a vertical rod 16. The bottom of the cup is connected through an internal passage in the arm 15 and by a flexible connection 1S with a suitable source of gaseous pressure, for which I prefer to emplt'y air at al fixed and controllable pressure.

he cup is arranged to move vertically towards and from the orifice, and, in order to prevent interference with the dropping of the mold charges, is also swung to one side when lowered. The f rod 16 is movably mounted in astandard 19 and the rod a-nd cup.

.are moved vertically by a lever-'20 fixed on a rock shaft 21 mounted in suitable bearings and for this purpose a cam slot 26 formed in the standard 19 guides a pin 27 fixed in the shaft 16. By this construction, as the pin 27 on its downward movement reaches the curved portion of the slot 26, the cup will be swung to one side, out of the way of the falling mold charges, returning-through the same path.

The upper edges of the cup when raised may make either tight contact with the bottom Walls around the orice or may be separated therefrom by a space, although such a space is not needed since with my invention it is not necessary to provide for the escape of gases whilethe cup is up. v

The means shown for severing the mold charges comprise shear blades 36, carried on arms 37, pivotally mounted on studs 38 and connected by gear segments 39. The shear blades are actuated through the lever and link 43 and 44:' respectively.

The lever 20 may be periodically rocked l on the bearings 22, and the shears may be periodically opened and closed lby any suitable mechanism, such4 `for instance as that Y shown in my aforesaid application.

lThe orifice 12 is, by preference, as shown in Figure 3 formed as a tube having a ange 45, surrounding an intermediate portion of its exterior, the upper end of 'the tube passing upwardly through an opening 46 in thc bottom of the floor of the forehearth, the upper end of the tube being the lower wally of the iow opening beneath the bottom of the tubular throttler before described. i

In the operation of the device as before described, with the cup away from beneath the orifice, the glass issues from the orifice at a rate, dependent, among other things, on the vertical setting of the tubular throttler.

uWhen a sufiicient -massof glassv has issued .from theorifice, and beforeit falls away therefrom or breaks into a stream under gravity, theshears close and sever such pendant glass and immediately open. The cup is then raised into position beneath the oriice, and the pressure existing in the cup tends to force back in the oriiice the glass left pendant after the severing. This back fiow is facilitated because the glass upwardly displaced from the orifice is not obliged to fiow back beneath the lower edge of the throttling element, but on the contrary may move upwardly within the hollow cavity-of .that elethe glass therein, and to aid in the elimina#` tion of the shear marks.

vUpon removing the pressure cup, glass again starts to flow through the orifice, it being supplied at first both from the glass con- Ias tained within the central cavity of the tubular valve element and by glass fiowing be,-

neath the lower end of such element from the forehearth. The glass level thetube is thus reduced to 50'. (See Fig. l). When suicient glass has extruded, severing again takes place andthe operation is repeated.

The internal cavity of the tubular valve may be either'fof cylindrical form as in Figure 1, or may, as shown in Fig. 3, have .its lower endcylindricaland surmounted 'by a contracted upper portion 5,1. Thus the resistance to an initial push back of the glass into the orifice is reduced, and additional resistance provided for such push back after a deinite'movementofthe glass in'the orifice has been caused.v The .length of thecolumn of g1 V pushed back into the tube is also in' creased as it is constrained into conical form,

thus increasing 'itsl static head. This tends to.

stability, and to avoiding the danger heretofore present in feeders of .thisV general type of blowing4 air or gases from the cup up through the orifice. It also permits the use of higher pressures in the cup, and more'prolonged application of pressure than would be permissible in the use of the cylindrical l cavity at the time the charge commences to f form beneath the orifice, a large volume iiow at which time, as is well known, is not desirable. AOn the contrary, as the glass descends in the vcentral cavity, its resistance. to flow therein decreases, and its. rate of flow therefrom is increased by this factor, compensating, atleast to a certain extent, for the decrease of static head in the bore.

In order to increase this resistance effectI when the glass is shoved up within the tube, and to provide for variations in it I may, if I so desire, make use of a vertically adjustable member 52 within the tubular throttler, by the setting of which within the tubular cavity of the throttler, the resistance to glass movements in the cavity of such throttler may bevaried at will within limitations.

In Figure 4 such internal .adjustable member is shown in the form of a tube 52a and in Figure 5 as in the form of a needle 52.

n the structure before described, the ,throttler, in the operation of delivering a mold charge is a xed element, although capable of adjustment as described from time to time,

to vary the -conditions under which suceesl sive ,and 'different mold` charges are delivered. A

It is obvious that if desired positive means may be used for heating the outlet instead of, or in addition. to, the insulation 48 which conserves the heat as before described.

It has heretofore been proposed to throttle lll) tain andhold such pressure beneath the ori- .iice. Theincrease' of pressure would also` i cause unstable conditions and the air or gas Hence, I am' able to keep the glass in the hearth at proper working temperatures and be'liable to break through the lass in the orifice and blow out through t e glass in the forehearth as bubbles. r j

The danger of blowing out in push back feeders is recognizedu and to overcome it, it has heretofore been necessary to use cold glass with resulting high viscosity and to use hot gases for the ush back.

By the structures erein 'disclosed I am able to use the throttler to regulate the flow of glass and to do this without necessitating excessive pressure for push backs. The' tendency to blow through the glass inthe oriiice or in the forehearth reduced, both by the actual construction of the arts 4and by the fact that low pressure may be emplyed.

ore-

am not compelled to use hot gases to obtain the .push back, although my invention is not limited in any way to the temperatures of the gases employed to effectthefpush back.

It will be noted that thethrottler in eect' divides the interior of the lforehearth into two sections, the one formed (in the specific embodiment here shown) by the internal cavity of the throttler, and the other the space surrounding the throttler, the two being connected by a restricted passage; that, as the outlet is in the base ofthe internal cavity of.v

ass

the throttler, the resistance of ow of g therefrom out through the outlet is less than flow through the outlet from the space around the throttler; and that,4as the space within the throttler` is only supplied with glass which may have passed the restricted passage, the normal glass level in the'throttler will be lower than the glass level external thereto, due to the hydraulic gradient established by the viscosity of the glass and the resistance of the restricted passage. Hence the space within the throttler constitutes an auxiliary supply reservoir, from which glass passes on each issue of glass throu h the upper end of the oriceto augment t e volume of glass from the main reservoir (i. e., the space external'to the throttler) and to make up the'total amount issued. It willl be further noted that the quantity of glass passing through the upper end of the outlet at each complete cycle of the machine is greater than that of the mold charge to be formed;

that after the mold charge is severed, some of the excess quantity below the upper end of` the outlet is driven back into the forehearth,

and that due to the resistance of flow back into the auxiliary and main reservoirs, a p0r-A tion of the excess (and generally speaking practically the entire excess) auxiliary reservoir, to await its issuance with the next charge. e y

I regard it desirable, however, that the auxiliary reservoir shall not have a cross'- sectional area muchgreater than the area goes into the of the oriice and thatthe glass available at any time in the auxiliary reservoir to o into a mold charge` be less than the mo d charge to be 'formed For this reason, and forconvenience` in construction, and because of operative advantages attendant on using 4 the interior of thetubular throttler as an auxilia reservoir, I prefer to usesubstantiallyt e embodiment herein shown, although I do not restrict my broader claim on apparatus thereto. Obviously, the method claims hereinafter made @maybe carried out with many diii'erent forms of structure.

Having thus described the invention, whatis claimed 1. In a device for forming mold charges of glass, the combination with a container for the glass of'statio'nary but adjustable means for .dividing said container into two compartments and for forminga throttling passage of definite size between the compartments, 'a submerged outlet in one of the compartments, and fluid pressure 'means applied beneath .the'outlet for causing a fluctuating movement of the glass in one compartment, and an intermittent -iovv of glass in the throttling pass a e. 2. In a device-for forming mold charges of glass, the combination with a container for the glass, of Stationary but 'adjustable means for dividing said container into two compartments, and for forming a throttling passage of definite size. between the com-l partments, .a submer ed outlet in one of the compartments, and uid pressure means applied beneath 'theoutlet for causing a fluctuating movement of the glass in said outlet and in one compartment,whereby the How. of glass in the throttling passage 1s retarded during the application of pressure.

3. In a glass feeder, the combination with. a glass container having a submerged orifice,-

of a Stationary but adjustable tubular throtj A tling element having its lower open end adjacent to the upper end of theoriiice, means for creating a periodically fluctuating gas pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure below the orifice, whereby a iiuctuating movement of the glass is produced in the outlet and in the throttlin element. l

4;. In a glass ceder, the combination with a glass container havingasubmerged orifice,

of a tubular throttling element having itsV lower o en end adjacent to the upper end of the ori ce, theinternal diameter of the element decreasing upwardly, and means for' Creatin a periodicallyfluctuating gas pres'- sure be ow the orifice.

5. In a glass feeder, the combination with a glass container having a submergedorifice, of atubular throttling element having its lower o en end adjacent to the upper end of the ori ce, adjustable means for varying the effective internal diameter of the throttling element, and means for creating a periodically fluctuating gas pressure below the oriflee.

6. In a glass feeder, the combination with'a glass container havin a submerged orifice, of a tubular throttling e ement having itsl lower open end adjacent to the upper end of the orifice, a plug movable within the throttling ele\ ment to vary the effective diameter thereof,`

and means for creating a periodically fluctuating gas pressure vbelow the orifice.

7. The method ofjilowmg mold charges of glass which comprises alternately flowing the glass through a 'throttlingpassage, issuing the glass through a submerged outlet, severing a mold charge from the issued glass, pushing back the remaining portion of the glass in said outlet vwithout causing a backward low of glass through said passage, and supplying the excess glass to the next succeeding mold charge. v

8. The method of flowing mold charges vof glass which comprises'ilowing the glass from a main source'of supply througha throttled passage and through` a submerged outlet, periodically severingmold charges from the glass issuing from the outlet, and periodically pushing back from the outlet into a supplementary reservoir, the portions of' glass remaining after severance, by fluid pressureapplied beneath the outlet. v

9. The method of flowing a mold 'charge of,

glass which comprises the steps of flowing glass from' a main reservoir' through athrottled passage in a quantity atleast equal to a lmol-d charge, accumulatmg thefglass in an auxiliary reservoir,fflowing a quantity of a submerged outlet communicating t e .formed from glass so vpass eous pressure below the severed glass 1n the pressure, :severing arnold charge from the isglass greater thanthe mold charge throu l1 reservoir, such lastj named throughl the throttled passage and from glass in sald auxiliary reservoir, servering a mold charge from the glass so passingfthe outlet, applying gasoutlet to r'push baCkthrou h the outlet a quantity of glass equal to" t e excess of the amount over a' mold charge, and receivingthe excess glass inthe auxiliary) reservoir.

i l0. yThe method of forming amold charge i of glass,"which comprises issuing lass through a submerged outlet under av ead `sued glass, and pushin'gfa portion ofthe issuedglass back insaidoutlet bya pressure greaterthan atmospheric'pressure against a fluid head pressure less than the head pressure which caused the glass to issue from the out- 11 of *glass, which" comprises flowing glass through a submerged outlet, severing a mold chargefrom the issued glass, and pushinga portion of the issued lass back vin said outetagainsty auid hea pressure which is initially less* than the headfpressure which caused the glassto issuefrom the outlet and which increases .gradually on upward movement yQ fthe glassin said outlet. In testimony whereoflhereunto aix my signature.

` KARL E. PEILER.

uantity being e The method of forming a mold charge s 

